Morton Trentside Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Morton Trentside Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff and pupils live out the school's values of 'care, inspire, thrive and achieve'.

They do so in a happy, safe and caring school. They are rightly proud of their school.

Pupils are welcoming, polite and respectful.

Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils consistently meet these high expectations. Rarely is behaviour unacceptable.

Occasionally, there is some unkindness. Pupils value that staff listen and help sort disagreements if they happen.

Pupils appreciate the range of opportunities that enrich their time at school.
<...br/>They take their leadership responsibilities seriously. For example, the sports crew, mini police, and various ambassador roles have a positive impact. Pupils like having Barney, the school dog, around.

Pupils are inspired by trips and visitors. They warmly recall learning about Hinduism and Indian culture. Children in the early years eagerly awaited chicks to hatch from eggs.

Pupils expressively sing while at the same time using sign language. They enthusiastically perform with rhythm as part of the Samba percussion ensemble.

Parents and carers are mostly very positive about the school.

A parent typically commented, 'The staff are amazing. My child has thrived from the minute he attended this school. All of the staff genuinely care about the well-being of every child.'



What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have developed a broad and ambitious curriculum. They make sure that most subject curriculums are developed to build pupils' learning across each year, and from the early years to Year 6. Leaders have identified the key learning that pupils need to gain and when in most subject curriculums.

For example, in mathematics and science, leaders ensure that pupils revisit, consolidate and build learning. In most subjects, leaders regularly review and develop the curriculum. They make sure that what pupils learn is suitably challenging.

However, leaders have not ensured that the subject curriculums are as demanding as they could be in some subjects. They have not fully identified the key knowledge that they want pupils to learn in some parts of these subjects. Leaders have recognised this priority through their review process.

Teachers expect pupils to work hard. Pupils apply themselves well. They are attentive and are diligent in lessons.

They have very positive attitudes to their learning. Teachers use questions well to check pupils' learning and to prompt pupils' deeper understanding. Teachers have strong subject knowledge.

They use resources well to support pupils' learning. Pupils take pride in their work and successes. Children in early years follow well established routes.

They get off to a positive start.

Leaders ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive appropriate support. Leaders work well with specialist professionals to help meet the needs of these pupils when required.

Staff know the needs of pupils with SEND well. These pupils access the same curriculum as their peers. Staff adapt their teaching and activities to enable these pupils to learn well.

Many parents value the positive provision for pupils with SEND. However, a minority of parents do not recognise this.

Leaders have prioritised reading.

They have created a strong culture that fosters pupils' love of reading and literature. Staff teach phonics effectively and consistently. They have high expectations of pupils.

Children learn to read from when they start in Reception. Pupils learn their phonics knowledge well. Those who need additional support are helped to keep up.

Younger pupils become confident and fluent readers. This is reflected in the high proportion of pupils who meet the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check. Pupils learn to understand different texts and stories.

Teachers bring stories to life.

Leaders provide a wide range of positive opportunities for pupils' personal development. They have developed a well-thought-out personal, social, health and economic education curriculum.

Pupils learn the importance of diversity, equality and inclusion. They learn about different faiths and the importance of respect. Staff provide pupils with meaningful opportunities to learn about physical, mental and emotional health.

Pupils receive age-appropriate relationships and sex education. Pupils are supported in their moral development. They learn the importance of personal beliefs and values.

They are actively involved in the local community. Pupils are nurtured to be appropriately confident, resilient and thoughtful individuals.

Governors carefully support and suitably challenge leaders.

Governors know the school's strength. They regularly review the school's development priorities. They are mindful of staff well-being.

They actively support staff in managing workload.

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They feel valued and appreciated.

They are proud to be part of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have developed a strong culture of safeguarding.

Staff know pupils very well. Staff receive regular training and updates. They understand their responsibilities well.

They are vigilant and respond appropriately if they have concerns about pupils' welfare. Leaders work well with external agencies. They make sure pupils receive additional help when needed.

Pupils have opportunities to learn about potential risks. They learn how to be safe in different situations. For example, leaders ensure that pupils are informed of the risks associated with the inappropriate use of social media.

Governors understand and fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities well.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Parts of some subject curriculums are not as ambitious as they could be. Leaders have not identified all of the key learning that they want pupils to learn and when in these subjects.

Consequently, pupils are not consistently challenged in all aspects of these subjects and do not develop their understanding as fully as they could. Leaders must ensure that all aspects of all subject curriculums are appropriately demanding, thus enabling pupils to know more and remember more in all subjects.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in April 2012.